With all due respect, this is not (at least directly) related to skin effect at all. But within the topic of skin effect, there are effects called the "Proximity Effect": and the "Ground Effect." THESE effects are caused by exactly the same phenomenon that causes the return path to be directly on the plane directly underneath the trace: that is the point of lowest mutual inductance. The skin effect IS caused by inductance, but is not related to the return current path, I have a chapter on the skin effect in my forthcoming book "PCB Currents: How They Flow, How They React" (Prentice Hall) due out on 5/17/13. I will have a blurb on it posted on the UltraCAD web pages by the end of the week. Doug Brooks At 07:01 AM 4/17/2013, O Nithin Bharadwaj wrote: >Hi Bala, > >This is a resultant of skin depth phenomenon. Lower the frequency, >higher will be the penetration capability of charges in a conductor >and higher the frequency lower will be the penetration area. For >microstrip TL case, the current distribution will be spread to a >larger area beneath the trace when compared with that of higher >frequencies. This link below may give you better insight. > >http://www.rfcafe.com/references/electrical/skin-depth.htm > >Warm regards, >Nithin > >-----Original Message----- >From: si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >[mailto:si-list-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Balamanikandan K >Sent: Wednesday, April 17, 2013 5:58 PM >To: si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx >Subject: [SI-LIST] Why return current is directly under the signal trace? > >Hi, >The return current for the high speed part of the signal will take >the path of least inductance. At high speeds, return current stays >tightly bunched under signal trace. Why is this directly beside the >signal? Please explain. > >-- >Best Regards, >Balamanikandan.K > > >------------------------------------------------------------------ >To unsubscribe from si-list: >si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field > >or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: >//www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list > >For help: >si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field > > >List forum is accessible at: > http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list > >List archives are viewable at: > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list > >Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > > > > >::DISCLAIMER:: >---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >The contents of this e-mail and any attachment(s) are confidential >and intended for the named recipient(s) only. >E-mail transmission is not guaranteed to be secure or error-free as >information could be intercepted, corrupted, >lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete, or may contain viruses >in transmission. The e mail and its contents >(with or without referred errors) shall therefore not attach any >liability on the originator or HCL or its affiliates. >Views or opinions, if any, presented in this email are solely those >of the author and may not necessarily reflect the >views or opinions of HCL or its affiliates. Any form of >reproduction, dissemination, copying, disclosure, modification, >distribution and / or publication of this message without the prior >written consent of authorized representative of >HCL is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error >please delete it and notify the sender immediately. >Before opening any email and/or attachments, please check them for >viruses and other defects. > >---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >------------------------------------------------------------------ >To unsubscribe from si-list: >si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field > >or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: >//www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list > >For help: >si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field > > >List forum is accessible at: > http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list > >List archives are viewable at: > //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list > >Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: > http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu > Check out our resources at http://www.ultracad.com ------------------------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe from si-list: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field or to administer your membership from a web page, go to: //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list For help: si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field List forum is accessible at: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list List archives are viewable at: //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at: http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu